On Friday, December 20, amidst the hustle and bustle of Christmas, the global lifestyle brand Miniso unveiled its new flagship store in Madrid, Spain. This store, located in the heart of Gran Vía, is not only the largest in Spain but also the first Miniso Land store in Europe. The inaugural Miniso Land store was launched in Shanghai, China, in October, creating quite a stir and smashing the brand’s sales records.
The New Flagship Store
The new store boasts an impressive area of over 1,000 square meters, making it one of the most coveted premises in the Spanish capital. Miniso is revolutionizing the market with this pioneering space, which has been designed as a Collectible License Store featuring more than 6,000 references in constant rotation. The store showcases iconic sagas like the newly introduced Harry Potter, as well as popular collaborations with Sanrio, Disney, Stitch, Minions, Pooh Winnie, Hello Kitty, and BT21.
In addition to these exclusive collections, the two-story store is packed with an array of products, including toys, sports products, cosmetics, beauty items, electronics, home goods, travel accessories, stationery, pet products, food, bags, and accessories. To gain a deeper understanding of the company’s current affairs and the new flagship store, we spoke with Patricia Novillo-Ferrell, Miniso’s Marketing Manager, during an official media visit.
Exclusive Interview with Patricia Novillo-Ferrell
When asked about the choice of location for the new flagship store, Patricia Novillo-Ferrell explained that the company had been waiting for the right opportunity to open a flagship store in Madrid. The corner of Gran Vía and Callao proved to be the perfect spot, and they decided to seize it. Novillo-Ferrell emphasized that the location is privileged, and the store has become a game-changer for the brand.
As for the number of stores, Miniso currently has 10 stores in Madrid, 52 stores in Spain, Portugal, and Andorra, and a whopping 7,200 stores worldwide. The company’s expansion plan is still underway, and the new flagship store is expected to be a turning point for the brand, creating many more opportunities.
When it comes to the concepts they wanted to strengthen in the new store, Novillo-Ferrell mentioned that they aimed to create a more fun and engaging purchase experience for customers. The store’s design and layout have been carefully crafted to exploit the location, with strategic points that offer stunning views of the city, particularly the Plaza de Callao. The store also features a nod to Madrid, with a bear and a madroño, the city’s symbol, incorporated into the design.
Future Plans and Strategies
Miniso does not currently have an online channel, but Novillo-Ferrell revealed that e-commerce is a project they have in mind and are working on. For now, the focus remains on physical stores. When asked how they adapt to the increasingly omnichannel client without having e-commerce, Novillo-Ferrell emphasized the importance of enhancing the customer experience, making it more attractive and engaging, and stimulating customers’ senses.
As for the company’s performance, Novillo-Ferrell stated that they have managed to open the number of stores they had set as a goal for 2024, and they have already closed several projects for 2025. One of Miniso’s key characteristics is its license products and value for money, which they achieve by carefully studying each product and identifying trends that can work in each location.
Social networks play a crucial role for Miniso, particularly Instagram, where they have a faithful audience of 142,000 followers. The company firmly believes in the power of influence and content creators, with whom they have collaborated extensively, achieving very good results. They measure the ROI of their campaigns with influencers by tracking the results, conversions, and engagement generated.
Miniso, the retail giant founded by Chinese businessman Ye Guofu in 2013, has established itself as a leader in the industry, transforming the shopping experience into entertainment. By the end of September 2024, the brand had around 7,200 stores worldwide, including 260 in Europe, and had opened over 600 new stores globally in just one year, making it one of the fastest-growing retailers in terms of openings.
